Aquila Riddle
by blackriddle711
Summary: I am Aquila, daughter of the most feared villains of all time, Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange. The only people who know of my existence are Narcissa Malfoy (my guardian), Draco, the Ministry of Magic (that fears me... who wouldn't?), and, after Narcissa is mysteriously murdered, Andromeda Tonks whom I go to live with. That's where I meet Teddy.
1. The Murder

**D****isclaimer/ Author's Note: I do not own Harry Potter or most of these characters, and this is just for fun, so thank you for taking the time to read this. My apologies if you find mistakes in grammar or anything because I didn't do much editing. Also thanks to ESn for editing briefly, to RY for art to visualize the characters, and to CT for ideas to improve Aquila's character.**

They come for me at 12:37 AM, four minutes after the murder. I think I might be crying when they find me, but I'm not sure. I hear the MOM wizards' voices.

"Miss Riddle?" and I think that that is my name, so I nod my head. They help me pack my bags, and I sit in the car while we wait for Draco. He comes twenty-one minutes later and his eyes are red. Astoria and Scorpius aren't with him. He holds my hand, and I cry, but I stop after exactly an hour, because I'm only allowed one hour of crying every year. I was stupid to use it all at once. They drive me to Auntie Andie's house, and I only know that because I hear them talking. I guess that's not too surprising, but I wish that I could live with Draco instead. Except that I know that he has no room for me in his life, and I don't think that he likes me that much either. We say goodbye in the car.

Auntie Andie is not like Pippa. She is stern with fierce brown eyes as opposed to the soft blue ones that I had grown so used to. They say she is like my mother. She shows me to my room: an ugly pinkish color, the white below cracking through in more than a few places. I think I will re-paint it green when I have time. I sigh and start to unpack. First comes my makeup bag which I arrange neatly in one of the dresser drawers. I look up into the tarnished mirror, hardly visible behind the thick stratum of dust clinging to the surface. Two figures stare back at me from the murky glass. Two? I swivel around and knock over two shampoo bottles in the process. Graceful.

The boy in the doorframe has bright purple hair and golden eyes. And he's mad.

"So you're the bludger whose parents are responsible for my family's death." I know immediately who the boy is. My cousin Nymphadora's son Edward.

"Aquila Bay Riddle," I say, mockingly offering him my hand.

Before I can figure out what has happened, I am against the wall, head against smashed glass. My hand comes away wet. I am bleeding.

"You-" I trail off as the world lurches and my knees give way. He leaves with a satisfied smirk on his face. I cry until my vision goes black, which I'm guessing is another half hour. Half an hour subtracted from next year.

I wake up in a bed to the sound of screaming. Andromeda's voice, by the sound of it. My sweatshirt and jeans have been removed, replaced by warm linen pajamas and there is a dull throbbing in my skull. Curious, I ease myself out of the sheets and tiptoe to the door. It is definitely Auntie Andie screaming.

"-can't believe you almost killed her! She's family- and even if she wasn't-"

"Family," scoffs Edward, "they disowned you. We are not their family."

They go into a wave of incomprehensible shouts. After a while, I return to the bed and fall asleep.

**I know that it's short, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review if you liked it. It would make my day. :)**


	2. My Fake Identity

**Ditto the last chapter**

When I open my eyes, the cracks in the blinds are black, no sunlight insisting it's way into the room. Everything is silent. I walk downstairs, tripping over the pajamas and pausing to pull them back up to my waist. They seem to have grown two sizes since I fell asleep. Or maybe

_I_ have _shrunk _two sizes. It makes me wonder how much time has passed.

Andromeda is sitting at the kitchen table and drinking a darkish liquid from a chipped ivory mug when I get downstairs. I think the muggles call it _coffee_. She looks up from _The Daily Prophet_ as I enter the kitchen.

"Thank goodness you're finally awake! I was considering calling _St. Mungo's_," she says, shuffling over to me, and, after a minute's hesitation, enveloping me in her arms.

Finally awake? "How long was I asleep?" I ask.

She absentmindedly taps her mug against the wood as she thinks. "This morning makes it… ten days."

Ten days? But it only felt like a few hours… "Where's that Edward brat?" I figure that I should teach him a lesson, because nobody gets away with knocking Aquila Riddle out for ten days without a punishment.

"Teddy? He left for Hogwarts this morning, but I couldn't wake you up, and I think you should stay here and rest up for a- "

"BUT I'M HEAD GIRL!" I shout, stomping my foot like a little kid. My pants slip down again. Andromeda pretends not to notice, but I blush anyway.

"Head girl or not, as your guardian, I order you to stay home for at least two more days until you are fully recovered." Did I tell you that loathe Auntie Andie? Well, I do. I stomp back up to my room, making sure this time to hold up my pants. As soon as I got back to Hogwarts, I was going to teach that boy- Edward (or as Auntie Andie called him, Teddy) a lesson. But in the meantime, I pick up my cell from the nightstand, a gift from Pippa for my thirteenth birthday. I dial _020-6666-2442_. I yell at the receptionist who "hopes that I am having a very lovely day".

"Who are you that's important enough to yell at me, may I ask?!" the lady inquires, her friendly tone abandoned.

"Aquila _Riddle_." I put extra emphasis on my last name.

"Oh, my apologies. I didn't recognize your voice. I'll transfer you to Mr. Shaklebolt." And that is how life goes when you are the daughter of the two most famous villains of all time. I'm pretty sure the whole ministry fears and hates me. Not that I blame them.

"Aquila. How may I help you?" I've talked to The Minister enough times that we are on first name-terms.

"Kingsley, I demand to be moved from this house immediately! The boy knocked me unconscious for a week and-"

"And, if I recall correctly, as a first year student, you used the cruciatus curse on the headmistress for threatening to give you detention. You are in no place to complain."

"I'm of age! Couldn't you just let me buy a place of my own with the fortune my mother left me? That way I could live in peace, and your ministry wouldn't have to worry about dangerous me and all of my stupid mistakes-"

"And what if someone found out about you? You see, we cannot let you go off on your own because if people figure out who you really are, that would threaten your existence. To the world, you are and will always be Marelyn Ross, a studious Slytherin, Prefect, and Head Girl while at Hogwarts, daughter of-"

"Isobel Ross McGonagall II who is Minerva McGonagall's brother's non-existent daughter," I finish. Before I could even leave the Ministry of Magic to go and live with Pippa, they made me memorize my entire fake backstory, down to the names of my "great aunts".

I hang up the phone.

I remember my seven-year-old self sitting in a swivel chair across from the president of the Muggle-Worthy Excuse Commitee (it was decided that they were the ones with the most creativity, therefore were elected to come up with my family history and fake background). In his hand he held a book of wizarding family trees and a pen. On the desk was a piece of paper on which he was writing down my "information." I prodded one of the chairs wheels with my toe.

"Why can't I just be me?" I had asked, my brain hurting from all of the memorization.

"Excuse me?" I remember that the man had had a queer mustache the bobbed up and down when he spoke.

"Why do I have to pretend to be someone else?"

He snapped the book shut and tilted his glasses down over his nose. "Aquila, you _must _be Marelyn to the world, because… given your… er… _parentage_, there are many people who would like to hurt you if they knew who you really were."

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	3. A kinda cute Enemy

**Ditto **

The window is cold against my nose and my breath clouds the glass. Pressing your nose against a window is one of the many things I miss from childhood. I remember one Christmas years ago. I was nine. Pippa had rented a _car _and taken me to a muggle _toy store_. I had always been fascinated by muggles. She bought me a stuffed cat and we were on our way to Draco and Astoria's house for dinner. I was cuddling my cat with my nose pressed against the glass, watching the snowflakes fall. That is one of my best memories of Pippa.

And then I remember how I started calling her that. She had not wanted me to call her "mum" because she said that she could never replace Bellatrix, so she asked me to call her "Cissa". I could not pronounce soft "c"s and "s"s when I was seven, so I replaced them with "p"s. The name "Pippa" stuck.

"Miss Riddle?" The driver calls, stopping at a large iron gate.

"Huh?" I am pulled out of my thoughts. We have reached Hogwarts. Professor Longbottom opens the gate as the car pulls up. He's wearing pajamas and a blue robe.

"Welcome back… Marelyn," he tells me, calling me by my fake name even though nobody else is here. You can never be too careful. "Mr. Lupin is serving his time in detention with Professor McGonagall at this very moment for attacking you. I hope that you are feeling better?"

I nod, and he takes my trunk, thanking the MOM employee for dropping me off.

Professor Longbottom drops me off outside the Slytherin common room. It is empty apart from Gwen Farley, a mousy haired sixth-year who has been rumored to hide illegal love potions under her mattress. I don't like her much. We grunt 'hello's to each other before I run upstairs to unpack. I change into my nightgown and collapse onto my fourposter. In the events that have happened recently, Hogwarts is the only place I can really call home. I sleep soundly that night.

The next morning, my "friend" Linnea and I walk together to the Great Hall. If you ask her, she will say that we've been best friends for seven years. To me, she's just another person who thinks they know me. I haven't ever had a real friend because nobody but my family, the ministry, and my professors know who I really am. To all my fellow peers, I am Marelyn. Sometimes I've pondered telling Linnea my secret. After all, she's the closest thing I have to a friend. But then, I picture her look of horror. It's enough to convince me to keep my mouth shut.

On the outside, Linnea is your typical popular girl. Obsessed with fashion and boys. But what I like about her is that she isn't mean or dumb. She's the top of our class and anyone who meets her automatically forgets the old stereotype that Slytherins are evil. Heck, she might even be the nicest person in our school. So I guess that I am lucky to have her as a "best friend". This morning, she is rambling about a "cute set of robes that would bring out my eye color". I don't know what kind of robes would bring out the murky gray irises I inherited from my mother, but I nod with as much energy as I can muster.

"I'll show you when we go to Hogsmeade tomorrow, okay?" she goes on without waiting for an answer, "And have you got any spare sickles? I'm broke and I still need to send Ludvig a Christmas present… actually I should get one for my cousin Minna also… I'll pay you back…"

But I stop listening as Teddy walks toward the hall, surrounded by a dozen or so first years, all of them calling out requests such as "Monkey ears!" and "Pig nose!" At each shout, he changes that feature on his face to match the request. As the group passes us, he flashes me an almost undetectable scowl and disappears through the double doors.

Linnea catches me staring at him. "He _is_ kinda cute, isn't he Mary?"

"No!" I say so loudly that she literally steps backwards. "No, Lin. He is absolutely _not _cute."

**Thank you to NiceSlytherin for reviewing. **


	4. Love is Complicated

**Ditto for the rest of the book and thanks to NiceSlytherin for helping to write this chapter.**

I find myself thinking about Teddy more and more. _He's not cute_. I find myself thinking whenever I stop in the hall to watch him pass. _He tried to kill me. _Maybe he's right: maybe I am like my mother. Maybe I'm just as much of a masochist as she was.

"Mary?" Linnea asks, swinging her designer bookbag to her other shoulder.

"I'm fine, Lin, just tired. I think I might go back to the dormitories and take a nap. I'll meet you in the library later."

Lin glances at me with a worried expression. "Okay… see you then."

I don't know what part of me decides to do it, but I find myself walking towards the Gryffindor dorms.

Ever since the famous Battle of Hogwarts that stole the lives of both of my parents, too many paintings had been destroyed for them to be able to use as entrances to the common rooms. So instead, they started using a fingerprint system similar to that used by Gringotts. It isn't hard for me to get in. I find a couple of First Years loitering outside the doorway, show them my Head Girl badge, and demand that they let me into the common room. Usually I am not one to take advantage of my privileges, but I need to see Edward and finish this mess.

Before I can think to change my mind, I walk up the stairs and into the room labeled _Boys: Fifth Year_. Most of them are in class, but I know that this is Teddy's free period since I have somehow managed to memorize his schedule in my free time. The few boys in the room scream when they see me enter. This is probably the first time in History that a Slytherin girl has managed to get into the Gryffindor boys dormitory. I start to laugh, but the sound dies in my throat when I see him. Next to the window. He isn't wearing a shirt. I let my eyes wander for a moment before returning my attention to his face. His eyes are green and gazing straight ahead of him, suggesting that he's deep in thought. People start to make excuses to leave the room or just bury their faces in books and newspapers. I step towards him.

"Why do you hate me?"

He turns to me with a jolt. "Aqui- Marelyn. What the hell are you doing here?"

I ignore his question. "Why did you jinx me that day? What did I ever do to you?" I'm losing control.

"Why wouldn't I hate you?" He walks to me and whispers, "Your parents are the reason I'm an orphan." I can feel his breath on my cheek and it sends tingles down my spine.

"I'm not my parents. What they did was wrong and that's not my fault. We're stuck with each other for at least the rest of this year, so we might as well get along." I whisper back. Somehow it feels special that we have a secret. Something no one else in the school knows.

"I'm sorry… It's just… you remind me of her. I guess that… I was just scared." He runs a hand through his hair, currently a blackish-blue: the same color as the night sky depicted on the enchanted ceiling last night. "Friends?" He asks, his voice still low.

"Friends." I reply. The word feels weird on my tongue.

He winks at me, then raises his voice. "You'd better get your ass out of our common room before I tell the Headmistress."

"Excuse me, but that's no way to talk to the Head Girl." I fake-storm out of the door.

His piercing green eyes keep me up all night.

The next day, I tell Linnea what happened. Well, as much as I can without letting my identity slip. Okay, more of a very exaggerated truth. What I tell her is that Teddy and I love each other, but we can't be together because of the rivalry between our houses.

"That's so _Romeo and Juliet_-y." She sighs.

"Um… what?"

"It's a muggle play… by William Shakespeare?"

I shake my head. I've never heard of it.

"What I mean is that it's very romantic."

"Yeah… I guess." I feel bad about lying to my "best friend". I don't even know what made me do it because I hardly ever lie… if you don't count the fact that my entire life is a lie. Well, I guess that love is complicated.

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	5. Just a Dream

**Apologies if you find this chapter very boring. I've been having a severe case of writer's block.**

The place is familiar, like I've seen it before, only different somehow. Then, it hits me. I am at Hogwarts. The grand staircase is strewn with rubble and curses fly left and right: flashes of green, red, and sometimes an odd color like purple or gold. They fly through me as if I am immune to them, a ghost. People around me fall to the ground as curses hit them. Bodies are everywhere. I see children, some of them no older than ten, limp and unmoving on the staircase. Girls my age with blood pooling from their chests and necks where werewolves have attacked them. Couples with their hands linked and their eyes glassy. Maybe parents. I wonder where their children are. Whether they are sleeping soundly at home and will wake up as orphans, or if they are among the fallen.

A mad cackle of laughter. I turn. Sharp jaw, pale skin, and long black hair. Her face looks drained. You can see her cheekbones and the dark patches around her piercing gray eyes, but she is still hauntingly beautiful. I recognize her immediately: Bellatrix Lestrange, my mother. She dances in and out of sight, green light shooting in every direction from the tip of her wand. More people fall. I don't want to see anymore. I run through the double doors of the castle and out into the courtyard. Giants. Acromantulas. Men and women in hooded black cloaks and masks. Screams. My head is pounding. Toward the boathouse. The only light is the sliver of the moon, a pinprick of white across the dark sky. Voices. I am not alone.

I turn. A man in expensive robes and long blond hair. He must be Uncle Lucius. I've never met him, but Draco and Pippa speak most highly of him. And then- a jolt goes through my body- my father. Lord Voldemort. The men seem not to notice me as they continue their conversation.

"I am certain he will come, Lucius. If I wasn't, I'd be out there fighting myself."

"But milord-"

"Are you questioning my plan?" my father interrupts, fingering his wand threateningly.

Lucius notices this and his hand goes up to his heart, as if the gesture will protect

him from a killing curse. "Of course not, milord," he splutters. The Dark Lord smirks. There is a hissing sound from behind me and I jump to the side as some kind of grotesque python slithers by, even though I realize that it would just slither right through me. The thing gives me the creeps.

"In that case, our conversation is over. Bring me Severus. I require a few words."

"Of course." my uncle leaves.

Voldemort turns to the snake and they exchange a series of noises unlike anything I've ever heard. This must be Parseltongue. I wait in the corner in silence, wondering what will happen next, my eyes warily fixed on the snake. It seems like an hour has gone by (though I'm not sure for certain) when a man with greasy hair and a hooked nose enters.

"You summoned me?"

"Severus, I am afraid that this wand isn't as great as everyone claims it to be."

The man with the large proboscis frowns, as if he is wondering what this has to do with him. "You have done amazing magic with this wand."

Father sighs. "I feel… as if it resists me."

"Forgive me, milord, but you must be mistaken. This wand is the most powerful ever made. Even Ollivander says it."

"Severus, the wand is powerful, but does it actually answer to me?"

"Milord?" There is fear across his face. I can tell that he knows where the conversation is going even though he is pretending not to. Unlike him, however, I have no idea what is going on. I continue to listen.

"Does the wand answer to me? Where is its loyalty?"

"With you. Who else?"

My father shakes his head disapprovingly. "The reason, Severus, why the Elder Wand does not answer to me is that it belongs to whoever killed its previous owner. While Dumbledore _was _killed under my orders, the assassination was not actually done by me. You killed Dumbledore which means that the Elder Wand belonged to you… until now."

The man opens his mouth to reply, but no words ever come out. In a second, Voldemort slashes his wand through the air, and the man named Snape falls silent. There is blood across his neck.

The Dark Lord hisses something at the snake which lurches toward the body.

I cover my eyes and scream. I scream not only in fear, but because I'm ashamed. Ashamed that everybody is right about my parents. Ashamed that I reminded Teddy of my mother. Ashamed that although I would be one of the children who woke up an orphan, my life would be better because of it.

When I wake up, Linnea and Katia are standing over me, worried expressions on their faces. I don't realize that I am still screaming until Katia puts a hand over my mouth.

"It was all just a bad dream," says Linnea soothingly. But she didn't see what I saw. And I know that it was more than just a dream. Almost… a memory. But that's impossible. I was a baby at the time, safe inside Pippa's house with no knowledge of the battle going on just miles away. It wasn't my memory. It couldn't have been. Then whose memory was it?

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	6. Library- 7:00 PM

**Same as last chapter: Sorry if this is extremely boring. Anyone have a technique to cure Writer's Block? **

The next morning at breakfast, I am surprised when a large Barn Owl lands on my plate. I haven't gotten any mail since Pippa died, and even when she was alive, it was always the same Eagle Owl named Opal.

"It's a note!" Linnea practically yells in my ear, "Do you think it's from him?!"

I untie the parchment from the owl's claws and unfold it.

_Library- 7:00 PM_

I look over to the Gryffindor table and for the briefest moment, lock eyes with a fifth year who has green hair and pale skin. He gives me the faintest whisper of a smile. I turn away.

Linnea squeals, obviously having read the note over my shoulder. Can anybody get their privacy around here? "OMG! Your first date!" She jumps up and down, shaking my shoulders. I can't help but giggle at her excitement, and wonder what he wants to tell me.

Classes are getting increasingly difficult as the N.E.W.T.s draw nearer. Professor Nott is even more demanding than usual. Today, he yells at me no less that six times to start my Shrinking Solution again, claiming that if I do it properly, the potion should be a bit more yellow. He shows me the example vile. It looks exactly the same shade to me, but apparently, he thinks otherwise.

"If you want to be a Healer," he barks, "Then you'd better be able to do a sixth year potion."

"Tergeo," I say for the millionth time. My potion disappears.

I go to the ingredients cabinet for two more Shrivelfigs.

Linnea and I sit in the common room. She insists on doing my makeup for the "date". No matter what excuse I give, she will not relent. So I let her put mascara on my eyelashes and a lipgloss on my lips. I leave for the library at 7:13, and run up the stairs because I'm worried that he might just give up waiting for me and leave. I trip twice over my sneakers.

I charge into the library and bang the door open with so much force that I'm sure every single head turns in my direction. I can feel my cheeks flushing. And they flush even more when I see him. The same green hair from earlier, and I can see now that his eyes are a soft blue. Almost the same shade as Pippa's. My heart melts. I stand there for a few moments: enough time to breathe deeply and will myself not to let the tears come. Teddy waves at me. I force my feet to move, plastering a smile to my face. I will not dwell on the past.

He stares at my face questioningly. I almost forgot about the makeup.

"My friend was convinced that we were going on a date and insisted," I explain.

"Oh." As he hastily clears his parchment and bookbag, his hand brushes mine. Just for a second. I inhale sharply. Mistake.

"Sorry," he mutters, avoiding my eyes. We sit down.

"What's up?" I ask, trying to break the ice.

"I've been thinking about this for a long time. It's been bothering me forever. Narcissa's murder. They can't figure out who killed her… in fact, I went to the Ministry of Magic-"

"You _what_?!" I interrupt loudly, earning a dozen _shhh_s from students at nearby tables.

He rolls his eyes. "Let me finish before you ask questions. During the ten days you were… unconscious- sorry about that, by the way- I went to the Ministry of Magic to see how far they were into the investigation, and it turns out, they're just giving up. They're letting it slide by without trying to figure out who's responsible. Therefore, it's up to us to solve the case."

I laugh. "You're such a _Gryffindor_."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It _is _a bad thing. You're so… impulsive. You can't just _leave school _and go solve a mystery. We don't even have any leads. We're not even Aurors. There's nothing we can do."

"And you're such a _Slytherin_. A total pessimist."

"Fine. Then you go crack the case, and when you solve the murder mystery that not even the Ministry of Magic can figure out, come tell me. I'll be here at Hogwarts studying for my N.E.W.T.s." I storm out of the library. I want him to call out my name, to ask me to come back, to tell me that I'm right. But he doesn't. And I don't look back.

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	7. St Mungo's

**I'm over the Writer's Block. Yay!**

When I wake up, my roommates are sitting around my bed with crestfallen expressions on their faces.

"What?" I ask, sitting up. The clock on the nightstand reads 12:00 PM. Thank goodness it's a Saturday.

Linnea looks at the others, silently asking them whether she should speak. One person shakes their head and two people nod. She blinks twice, then goes for it. "You know that Gryffindor boy that you like? What's his name… Eddie?"

"Teddy. What about him?" I ask. I don't want to hear what comes next.

"He was in a severe car accident this morning. Nobody knows where he was going, but he's at St. Mungo's right now. And they don't think he'll make it."

"Shit." He was really serious about solving the mystery. My head spins. I've got to go see him.

"Where are you going?!" calls Sara, trying to grab my hand. But I pull away and run out of the dormitory in my pajamas.

And now is the time that I regret not getting my apparition license. Therefore, instead of just walking outside the castle grounds, I have to hitch a ride to the nearest muggle town and rent a car with my emergency debit card. Sorry Draco.

I speed all the way to the hospital without getting pulled over by the cops. Finally, I pull over in the parking lot of Purge and Dowse, Ltd and run to the front of the store.

"MY FRIEND'S DYING!" I yell at the mannequin, causing several muggle passersby to stare. It considers me for an awfully long time before nodding. I hurdle through the "glass". In the lobby, I rush past lots of people (the strangest with two heads and three arms), and make my way to the front desk.

"I'm here to see Mr. Edward Lupin," I pant.

"Room thirteen down the hall." The woman says, pointing a lazy finger to the left.

As I am too tired to run anymore, I speed walk past doors until I get to room thirteen. I suddenly feel bad about not bringing flowers for him or anything. I take a deep breath and walk in.

"Aquila! You should be in school." I hear Andromeda's scolding before I see her. I am scared that she has used my real name, but then I see that the room is empty apart from Teddy in a cot on the side, her, and a man with broad shoulders and salt and pepper hair. I guess that he is handsome in the evil billionaire kind of way.

"I couldn't stay there after I heard the news. I was worried." I look questioningly toward the man.

"Oh, Darling, this is Mr. Rodolphus Lestrange," Auntie Andie sounds uncomfortable.

"You must be Aquila, my stepdaughter. I see that beauty runs in the family," he winks at Andromeda who smiles politely and thanks him. I'm too surprised to say anything. Yes, I knew about Rodolphus, but I never imagined meeting him, especially not at a place like this. He reaches forward to shake my hand.

"How are you holding together? I mean, after you met me. Everybody says I remind them of Bellatrix." I don't mean to say those words. They just come out of my mouth. Auntie Andie glares.

Rodolphus laughs. "Sobbing? Why would I be sobbing? I must say, my life has improved grately after the death of my slut of a wife."

Andromeda and I both stare at him. That was clearly not the answer she expected either. Teddy coughs. I turn my attention to him, dragging a seat to the side of his bed. His eyes flutter. I take his hand which is threaded with scars.

"Aquila?"

"Stupid Gryffindor." I mutter quietly enough that only he can hear me.

"Touche."

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I swallowed a- what's that muggle weapon that blows people up?"

"A bomb."

"Yeah. One of those."

There is a knock on the door and a healer comes in with a syringe full of red liquid.

"Dragon's blood?" I ask.

She nods.

"You should be injecting that no more than hourly. If he is exposed to too much of it, then his heart will become confused and quit. Not to mention, his immune system might overreact and try to fight it. His body needs time to get used to the new substance little by little."

"One moment," she says and exits.

Everybody left in the room raises their eyebrows at me.

"I'm studying to become a healer."

The woman returns followed by an important looking man whose robes are darker than the usual lime green. He introduces himself as Mr. Boorman, the Head Healer.

"Evangeline here said that you made the suggestion to expose the dragon's blood a little bit at a time so that his body has the time to get used to it."

"There have been times that people, after taking a potion with a profuse amount of the blood, have had their hearts quit because there is an unknown substance in the veins." I explain.

The nurse, Evangeline, hands me the syringe.

"We'd like you to treat him," says Mr. Boorman.

I have never treated an actual person before. Hadn't Professor Nott just yelled at me the other day for my unsatisfactory Shrinking Solution? I accept the syringe with shaking hands. The whole room is watching. I turn Teddy's hand around so that his palm faces upward. Breathe deeply. I press the needle to his skin. And push the plunger down so that the tip punctures the vein in his wrist. After about a quarter of the barrel has drained, I lift my finger and pull the syringe away.

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	8. Release

For the next few weeks, I stay at the healer's quarters. Andromeda comes to the hospital daily, sometimes accompanied by Rodolphus or Astoria and Draco. In the evenings, a large barn owl delivers my school work from the day and I sit by the fire in the lounge while I work.

Teddy greatly improves as the days go by. When I walk into the room one morning, I am delighted to see that he isn't lying on the cot, but standing and staring out of the small window in the back wall. His hair is a soft blue that matches the sky.

"When will I be able to leave?" he asks, watching as a bird flies over the horizon.

I grab the tray with the syringe and take his hand in mine. "At least two days from now. I'll have to check with Boorman." I inject the needle.

He turns to me. We are close enough that I can feel him breathing. I drop what I am holding. I'm sure he can feel my heart racing, but he pretends not to notice. "I don't think I've had the chance to properly thank you. Without your help, I would be dead, and I am grateful. And also, I'm sorry. I should've listened to you when you said that we needed a plan. I shouldn't have been so… such a Gryffindor."

I don't know how to respond. Luckily, Draco saves me by choosing that exact moment to burst through the door. He looks at the two of us. "Oh. I'm sorry… were you two in the middle of something?" he asks awkwardly.

"No." Teddy and I say in unison. My face is hot as I bend down to pick up the broken glass and plastic.

"How are you?" Teddy tries to break the ice.

Draco shakes his head. "You're the one who almost died in a car crash. So how are _you_?"

"Couldn't be better." He smiles wide to prove his point. "Where's Grandma?"

He shrugs. "I dunno. I thought she'd be here by now." He reaches into his pocket and takes out a deck of self-shuffling cards. "Meanwhile, who's up for some exploding snap?" We sit in a triangle on the floor and Draco deals twenty cards to each of us.

After I win five rounds in a row, the boys surrender. Realizing that it has been an hour, I give Teddy another shot of dragon's blood. As I am lifting the plunger, the nurse named Evangeline comes in with a clipboard. She smiles when she sees Teddy's progress. "You should be back at school in no time," she says reassuringly and leaves.

Andromeda comes at 1:30, right as I am finishing my lunch break. Draco has gone back to work. Teddy is lying on his cot and staring at the ceiling.

"I just talked to Mr. Boorman, and he says you're fully healed."

"Does that mean I get to go back to Hogwarts?" Teddy suddenly perks up.

"Not to Hogwarts. They need to make sure that your health stays consistent, so you're going to have to come home for a week."

He scowls. "But my O.W.L.s are soon and I need to-"

"You'll get your schoolwork by owl post, so that you don't fall far behind."

"I can help you study." I tell him.

Andromeda turns to me and frowns. "No. _You _will go back to school and-"

"If she's not staying," interrupts Teddy, "then neither am I. I would die of boredom without anyone to talk to for seven whole days. Someone… close to my age I mean. No offense. And you know how bad I am at charms. Aquila could help me."

Auntie Andie struggles with herself for a moment. She seems about to say no, but then I think she remembers the episode when we first met and is glad that we are now getting along. "Fine."

We walk to my rental car. I get there first and sit down in the driver's seat, and Teddy calls shotgun. After much argument, Andromeda seats herself in the back. I start to drive.

"Wow. I can't believe I convinced her to let you stay," Teddy tells me in a low voice.

"You're a total drama queen. She was afraid that if she refused, you would burst into tears."

"No. She was afraid that if she refused, you would murder her on the spot."

"Yeah right! She was afraid that if she refused, you would literally die of loneliness."

"She was-"

Andie clears her throat. "I'm right here, you know."

Teddy and I exchange sheepish glances. Subconsciously, we must've been raising our voices bit by bit as we fought to be heard. I can't help but smile. I take a moment to fix this memory into my mind. Driving down the endless strip of pavement, the cobalt sky vast and filled with streaks of white. Sitting next to my first and only true friend. One who chose me for me, not Marelyn. I beam for the whole drive home.

**Review or suffer the consequences. **


	9. Impulses

**Big but short chapter! Thank you to NiceSlytherin for forcing me to finally write this and for editing (it's her fault if it's rushed). **

"Levicorpus," Teddy says, as he points his wand at me for the fifteenth time today. I rise a few inches off the ground, but the spell isn't strong enough for more.

"That was a good try," I respond to his frown, though I think that we can both tell that the words of encouragement are rather half-hearted.

Teddy smiles weakly. "I'm glad that the O.W.L.s aren't for another three months. I'm hopeless."

"Well, you have another week until you return to school, if you're lucky… but you still should be practicing." He flops back onto the couch with a dramatic sigh.

"Are you guys hungry for lunch?" Auntie Andie asks from the kitchen.

"No, I'm too busy dying," Teddy replies. I roll my eyes. And it is at that moment that I decide that Linnea was right all along. He is a little, tiny bit cute. "Oh!" Teddy jumps up from his seat "Before I forget..." He grabs my hand. For a moment he freezes, surprised by his action. I hold my breath. He blinks, then shrugs, and pulls me down the hall.

I've never seen Teddy's room. It's obviously been painted a lot more recently than mine; the cream colored walls are flawless. A double bed is pushed against the back wall, and dozens of Gryffindor tapestries and quidditch posters hang above, to replace the nonexistent headboard. And it's surprisingly neat. His laundry is in a hamper near the door, not spread out across the floor, and his school textbooks are lined up by subject and year in the mahogany bookshelf in a corner.

Standing in the doorframe, I am hesitant to enter. I've never been in a boy's room before. It isn't until he beckons for me to come in that I take a timid step forward. The door is charmed so it swings shut behind me. Teddy walks to me and hands me a parcel wrapped perfectly in purple parchment, a golden ribbon holding it closed.

"Your Christmas present. I forgot to give it to earlier." I can tell that he sees my face fall. "What is it?"

"I didn't think to get you anything," I confess apologetically.

"I don't mind. Just think of it as a thank-you gift for saving me."

Suddenly, Teddy's lips are on mine, his hands in my hair. And it is then that I realize that although I've dreamed of this since the day Linnea pointed him out in the hallway, it's different to actually be here, making out in his room where, at any moment, Auntie Andie could burst through the door. Not to mention, my oxygen supply is running out very quickly. So I do the only smart thing to do: I punch him in the gut.

He jumps backward, his hands over his stomach. "Holy shit, Aquila. You are really something… I mean… what the hell? I thought you liked me…"

"It's complicated," I say, ashamed at my actions. I feel even awkwarder than before. "I'm sorry."

"What were you thinking?!"

"I was just… I dunno, worried about Andromeda catching us… and I couldn't really breathe."

He suddenly bursts into laughter.

"What?!" I demand, annoyed. I hate it when people laugh at me.

"_You_ call _me _impulsive."

I smile a little bit. "Can we try that again?"

He raises his eyebrows.

"I promise I won't punch you this time," I add quickly.

He locks the door.

**Yay! They finally kissed! I've been wanting and dreading this moment forever.**


	10. The Return of the Evil Billionaire

**I haven't been writing that much lately, but yay! Finally finished the new chapter.**

I excuse myself from the table as soon as I've finished my lunch and run upstairs. When I turn on my phone, I see that I have five new messages from Linnea.

_1/7/13 1:30 PM_

_ok, what the heck. where r u? did u go to see teddy? is he ok?_

_1/12/13 10:01 AM_

_i was just told the news. when r u gonna b back school?_

_1/13/13 12:59 PM_

_siriusly, not cool. u can at least text me back… _

_1/21/13 6:04 PM_

_what the hell?! _

_i miss u._

_1/28/13 8:23 PM_

_WHEN R U COMING BACK TO SCHOOL?_

I think of a response, but I have too many things to tell her. Finally, I write:

_srry ive been really busy. i'll tell u everything once i get back 2 hgwts next week._

Just as I put my phone back on the nightstand, it dings with a new message. It's from Linnea. I chuckle. She must be sleeping with the dang phone under her pillow.

_WHAT HAPPENED?! ARE YOU ILL? OMG, MARY I CAN'T LOSE YOU! YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO DIE!_

_relax. im fine._

There is a knock on the door.

"Come in," I say.

Teddy's hair is purple again. Not the obnoxiously neon kind, nor the drab color just one shade off from black. It's the color of freshly-grown lavender, light and happy. He has hazel eyes and a splash of freckles across his nose. They make him look younger, more playful. Cute.

Noticing my stare, he winks playfully, then strides into the room and takes a seat on the bed next to me.

I laugh and punch his shoulder. I can tell from the way he winces that I did it too hard. "You look nice," I tell him, to make up for the punch.

"Are you sure? I've never had freckles before. Are they a bit much?"

Before I can answer the question, I hear the muffled sound of glass breaking, then swearing. Teddy and I exchange glances, then run downstairs to make sure Andromeda's okay.

She's sitting on the couch and shaking her head in disgust.

"What is it, Grandma?" Teddy's voice is full of concern.

Andromeda gestures to the kitchen. "I'm sick of him."

There's no need to ask who "him" is, for at that moment, Rodolphus walks into the room. Correction: staggers. His eyes narrow when he sees me, and his face turns red with anger.

"Fuck off, Bellatrix!" he yells, throwing his empty bottle of firewhiskey at my head. Teddy pulls me to the side at the last moment, and it explodes in a shower of glass on the wall behind me. "I told you to get out of my life! I don't need you! Ci- " he cuts himself off and lurches toward me, hands outstretched.

"Dude, what the hell is your problem?!" Teddy moves in front of me, his wand out. "Your wife is DEAD!"

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU, BELLATRIX!" Rodolphus yells, trying to push Teddy out of the way.

"I'M GONNA KILL _YOU_ IF YOU TOUCH MY GIRLFRIEND!" Teddy replies.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOUR GIRLFRIEND? THAT'S MY WIFE!"

"THIS- IS- NOT- BELLATRIX- IT'S AQUILA."

"WHO THE HELL IS AQUILA?!"

"MY GIRLFRIEND!"

"THAT'S IT!" Andromeda hollers, and everybody freezes. "SHUT UP ALL OF YOU! RODOLPHUS, IF YOU LAY A HAND ON HER, YOU'LL WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN!"

He gives her a very rude hand gesture.

"Out of my house. NOW!" On the "now", a jet of purple light frees itself from the tip of Auntie Andie's wand, and grazes Rodolphus's cheek. He jumps backward, as if burned.

"Why are the women in this family all so crazy?!" But that's all Rodolphus dares to say. He's clearly very frightened. With that, he totter-marches through the room and bangs the front door closed behind him.

A long silence follows his departure. I finally speak."What was he talking about when he yelled at me?" I ask, more to myself than to Teddy and Auntie Andie.

"Nothing. He was just really drunk." Andromeda replies.

"You're probably right," I say, but I can't help but wonder what he was about to say when he cut himself off.

**Hope you liked it. Please review :)**


	11. Cauldron Cakes

**Yay chapter 11! This chapter is exactly 800 words!**

As I surface from a strange dream, I find a blond-haired boy leaning over my bedside. I jump. Well, that is, if I could jump while lying down.

"Draco?" I ask, but when I wipe the sleep from my eyes, I see the familiar smile.

"Good morning, darling," says Teddy.

I scowl at the nickname.

"Good to see you too."

I sit up and run my fingers through a lock of sandy hair that falls over his face. "Really? Blond?"

"You're right. I feel more like a redhead today."

He frowns in concentration as his hair slowly turns orange. "How do I look?"

"Like one of those Weasley gits."

He obviously doesn't understand that I'm joking, for he runs a hand through his hair worriedly.

"Just kidding," I tell him. "You know, for a boy, you're awfully…"

His eyes narrow. "Awfully what?"

I immediately wish I hadn't spoken. "Awfully…"

"Tell me."

"Girly," I finish, unable to articulate my thoughts properly.

Instead of getting mad, like I imagined, he instead seems confused. "How so?"

"You're just… really dramatic and… and… concerned with your appearance."

He is silent for a long time before replying, "The problem is not with me, but with our world if those are considered 'girly behaviors'." And he walks out of the room. Just like that.

I sit there for a long time, thinking about what he said. Finally, I take a shower, change into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and brush my hair back into a sloppy ponytail. Whatever Auntie Andie's making for breakfast smells amazing.

Teddy (his hair now auburn), is sitting in the dining room and stabbing at a cauldron cake mercilessly. He's frowning.

"What is it? Is Evil Billionaire back?" I ask him, looking around and half expecting Rodolphus to be sitting on the couch with a bottle of firewhiskey.

"Who?"

"Oh. Never mind. You just look… troubled."

"Harry and Draco," he whispers.

"What?"

"Harry and Ginevra and Draco and Astoria are in the living room."

"So?" I ask.

"So, you idiot Slytherin, don't you know how they're like… complete _enemies _from Hogwarts?!" He goes back to prodding the cauldron cake.

Surprised at his outburst, I try to change the topic. "Well… why are they here?"

"They originally wanted to make sure I was okay after the car crash… but now they're kinda just arguing." He's still frowning.

"I'm sorry I called you girly," I venture.

"It's-" but Teddy is cut off as two men come into the room, quarreling furiously. They freeze when they see us.

"Hello Aquila," says Harry. Although I spent quite a lot of time with him and the other Aurors while I was living at the MOM, he still seems a bit wary of me. I guess it makes sense, since my father _did_ murder his parents. And a gazillion others.

"Hi," I reply, as pleasantly as possible. Draco glares at me, as if I'm supposed to ignore the bespectacled man, even if he _is _talking directly to me.

"Uncle Harry, Uncle Draco," Teddy nods his head, acknowledging their presence, "Where are the Aunties?"

"Chatting about 'girl stuff' in the parlor." Draco sneers.

"At least they get along," Teddy mutters.

"What?" Harry and Draco ask together.

Teddy fidgets, grasping for another topic. Luckily, a distraction comes as Andromeda hurries out of the kitchen with a platter of cauldron cakes. "Aquila, Harry, Draco, you can start. I'll call the ladies."

I take a seat next to Teddy with Draco on my other side and Harry across the table and serve myself two golden brown cauldron cakes. I cut one up into little squares and pop it in my mouth. Delicious. The sugary buttermilk mixture melts in my mouth. The two men have similar reactions to their breakfast, but Teddy continues to stab at his. A brunette and a redhead come into the room talking amiably. Astoria smiles politely, but Ginny is scowling. I recognize her from her many appearances in the _Daily Prophet _and old _Holyhead Harpies _posters, though I've never seen her in real life.

"I'm Aquila," I tell her, standing up and extending my hand, "I don't think we know each other."

Her brown eyes are full of hate, and she seems like she's blinking back tears. "Of course I know you."

My hand falls limp at my side, and I feel Teddy grab my arm and pull me back into my chair. Of course she knows me. Me, whose father killed her brother and almost her as well. I don't know what I hate more: being Marelyn or being Aquila.

"Is everybody enjoying?" inquires Andromeda, trying to break the ice.

"The cauldron cakes are amazing, Grandma," Teddy says, even though he hasn't consumed any of his breakfast yet. He takes my hand under the table.

**Please review!**


	12. I Give Teddy a Manicure

**Finally! A kind of long chapter. I try to make all of my chapters at least 1,000 words, but that always fails. And this one is by far the closest.**

"Are you sure you have everything?" Auntie Andie asks anxiously for the millionth time, wrapping up two turkey sandwiches in plastic.

"Yeah," I say again, impatiently twirling the rental car's key ring around my index finger. Teddy nods, chewing on a piece of bread crust from the cutting board. He's wearing a burgundy pullover, jeans, and a white collared shirt. I wear shorts and a tank top. When Andromeda told us that we'd have to dress as muggles, Teddy had scowled. Finally after much argument, he agreed to take a trip with me to the nearest mall and we bought him some suitable clothing. And I must admit, he looks good as a muggle.

"Alright, make sure you drive safely. And your train leaves from King's Cross at exactly 12:30. It might take you a bit of time to find the muggle platform. Platform 9 ¾ is in the side building, but this platform, Platform 6 is in the main building. Be sure to ask someone if you can't find it…"

"Okay, okay." Teddy says, waving her hands away as she tries to straighten his collar.

"Teddy," I tell him pointedly, "I thought I told you to lose the gold eyes. Muggles aren't used to that kind of thing."

"Sorry," he mutters, "I guess I'll have to settle for dull brown."

Andromeda hands me the sandwiches and I stuff them into my purse.

Teddy and I take turns hugging her goodbye before loading our trunks into the car and getting into the front.

Just as I start the engine, Andromeda runs out of the house with a Gryffindor tie. She beckons for me to open the window.

"Teddy, you forgot this on your bed. Aquila, are you sure you're okay driving? It's not too late for me to arrange for a portkey," she seems nervous.

"I'll drive safely, I promise. After all, Teddy seems to enjoy the muggle technology almost as much as I do."

Teddy smiles.

"Okay," she says doubtfully.

"Really, we'll be fine."

Finally, she allows us to drive away. The time is 12:23

"Hurry up!" Teddy yells, pushing my hands off of the steering wheel. He puts his own hands on it, and starts swerving back and forth dangerously.

"Work, you damned piece of muggle crap!" People honk.

"EDWARD!" I yell. Pushing him back into his own seat, I continue to drive at a legal pace.

"You sound like Old Andromeda," he sniggers.

` I punch his arm. "Do you have absolutely no apology for the fact that you just put our _lives _in danger?!"

"Sorry Grandma. But seriously, can't this stupid damn stupid contraption go any faster?!"

"You swear like a two-year old."

"Take that back, or I'm breaking up with you."

"Fine then. Do it."

"I didn't really mean that."

"I know you didn't."

"Okay, but really, focus on the road and get us there on time, otherwise I will _actually _break up with you."

"No you won't."

"No, I won't. But if you get us there on time, I _will _kiss you."

It's a miracle that we get to the train station with a minute to spare. Teddy loads our trunks onto a trolley while I ask for directions to Platform 6 at the information booth.

"Looks like someone owes someone else a kiss," I tell him when he finally catches up to me.

"Hold that thought until we actually _get on _to the train."

And we run like we've never run before.

Panting, we collapse into two empty seats.

"_Now _you have to kiss me."

"What's the magic word?"

"Avada Kedavra."

He kisses me. "Like mother, like daughter," Teddy laughs, but falls silent at the look on my face.

To avoid the awkward silence, I sit on my knees and open the window a crack. Then, I rummage through my purse and finally find what I'm looking for: a small bottle of purple liquid.

"What are you doing?"

"It's something muggles call 'nail painting'."

I sit back down and spread a napkin over my lap. Teddy watches, fascinated, as I shake the bottle and spread the sparkly purple polish over my nails.

"But what do you do now?" he asks, eyes wide.

I smile. He looks like a little kid on Christmas. "Now, I wait for it to dry."

He holds out his hands. "Paint my nails too!"

"Usually only muggle w-" I cut myself off. "Okay."

For the remainder of the ride, we hold our hands out in front of us, waiting for the polish to dry and talk excitedly about going back to Hogwarts.

The train arrives at Waverley Station at 3:59 just as planned. From here, Professor Creevey is supposed to collect us via portkey. We sit down on a bench in the crowded station, wondering how he will find us among all of these people. Teddy pokes his thumb nail. "It's dry!" he announces, so loudly that many passersby turn to stare. And then we see him. Professor Creevey wears dark jeans and a leather jacket, perfectly blending in with the muggles. A couple of teenage girls giggle and twirl their hair as he passes by.

"Are you two ready to go?"

"Yeah." I can't help but notice that Teddy's voice sounds funny as he says it. Probably afraid that he has competition or something. I guess Creevey is pretty hot, but he's totally not my type; I'm not the kind of person who falls for teachers.

"May I take your baggage?" We both politely refuse, but he grabs them from us anyway. "Okey dokey, where were we? Oh, right. Portkey… have anything I could use?" I hand him an empty coke can I had been meaning to throw away. He takes out his wand and mutters "Portus." It glows for a moment before turning back to its ordinary self. "Okay. Everybody hold on!"

**Review. That's an order.**


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